Not applicable.
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Not Applicable
Parents and guardians of infants and toddlers spend most of their time protecting their young from danger. A newborn could choke on its vomit; an infant could roll off a bed during a diaper change; and a toddler could accidentally run through a set of glass doors, if not properly supervised. It is virtually impossible to watch a child 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether left alone to play in the crib, take a nap, or sleep during the night, a child is never more unsupervised than the time spent in the crib. According to safety experts, most accidents occur in the crib because children are left alone for long periods of time. Because the structure of a crib appears to be a safe place to leave a child, parents and guardians often have a false sense of security. They place a bumper pad inside the crib to help cushion inevitable falls, only to remove it when the infant is able to sit up unassisted (around 6-9 months). An infant at this stage could easily push down on the pillow-like pad and use it as a step to climb out of the crib. Once the bumper pad is removed, the crib slats are left unprotected, and so is the occupant inside. The present invention overcomes this safety issue; it can be used in the crib from the time the baby is born, until it can sleep in a regular or toddler bed (usually around 2-3 years of age). Unlike a conventional bumper pad, the present invention is a padded safety device that is affixed around the individual vertical supports of a crib, and includes an object that stabilizes the pad in a fixed, vertical position so it may not be pushed down and used as a step.
While researching for prior art similar to the present invention, a product with U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,071 was discovered, herein known as the xe2x80x9cprior artxe2x80x9d, which is a comparative product to protect infants and toddlers from injuring themselves on the material that comprise a crib or playpen, after the bumper pad is removed. A crib or playpen is typically described as made of wood, with four sides comprised of two parallel horizontal railings, with individual vertical supports, herein known as, xe2x80x9ccrib slatsxe2x80x9d, connected between them. The crib slats are usually rectangular in shape, four-sided, approximately 1 to 1xc2xd inches wide, xc2xd inch thick, spaced approximately 2xe2x85x9c inches apart, and are about 26 inches high, depending on the style and type of crib. There are an estimated 50 slats that comprise a typical crib, again, depending on the style and type of crib (see FIG. 5 for a drawing of a typical crib). The crib typically has a horizontal spring that supports the crib mattress. According to safety experts, the mattress should have no more than an approximate gap of 1xc2xd inches (a xe2x80x9ctwo fingerxe2x80x9d width) between the mattress and the crib slat. A gap larger than this presents a safety hazard of child entrapment and suffocation. Padding inside the crib is necessary to prevent an infant or toddler from injuring themselves when they come in contact with the hard crib slats.
The prior art describes in its xe2x80x9cBackground of the Inventionxe2x80x9d section the disadvantages of the commonly used crib bumper pad. To summarize, bumper pads are a cushioned material, similar to a pillow, that encompass the entire inside perimeter of a crib, widely used and accepted by parents and guardians to protect their child from injury in case the child would fall against the hard, wooden slats. Bumper pads are usually about one foot high, normally are of one piece, and are typically fastened by strings tied around the crib slats. The disadvantages of bumper pads include: (1) the inability of a parent or guardian to view a child while the child is lying in the crib, unless the parent or guardian is standing next to the crib and views the child from the top of the crib and looks down; (2) an infant, while lying in the crib, is unable to view its outer world; (3) bumper pads offer the ability of an older infant to use it as a step to climb out of the crib (the potential for injury is limitless in this case); (4) are difficult to use when lowering the side rail of a crib to reach a child (because the bumper pad is tied to the crib slat, it moves with the slat and does not stay in one place), and (5) due to the raising and lowering of the crib rail, the ties may become loose, and potentially allow for the bumper pad to fall onto an infant who may not have the strength to push it off, thus creating a suffocation hazard. Because of the safety issues mentioned above, bumper pads are typically removed when an infant can sit up or stand by him or herself.
Bumper pads or padding of some form, however, are a basic necessity to protect mobile infants or toddlers from injuring themselves on the crib slats. The next step to improve upon the bumper pad is to have an invention similar to the prior art. The prior art describes a pad that covers most of the vertical length of each individual crib slat, and is padded on 1 to 3 sides. The cover is comprised of either vinyl or some xe2x80x9cflexible materialxe2x80x9d (see prior art""s xe2x80x9cSummary of Inventionxe2x80x9d section), and is filled with a xe2x80x9ccushioning materialxe2x80x9d (see prior art""s xe2x80x9cSummary of Inventionxe2x80x9d section). The advantages of this include: (1) the parent or guardian can now view their child through the slats in the crib; (2) the child can see the xe2x80x9couter worldxe2x80x9d; and (3) the padding should protect the infant from injury.
While there are many advantages of a slat pad over a bumper pad, there are still disadvantages to the prior arts"" design. The prior art has disadvantages that could ultimately cause severe injury for infants and toddlers. Disadvantages include:
1) The prior art has padding only on one to three sides, and none on the exterior of the crib slat. This is a disadvantage because in the everyday usage of the crib, the product could potentially turn, thus leaving the interior of the slats exposed to the side of the product that does not have the padding. This could lead to injury of the child inside, if the interior slat is left unprotected.
2) The prior art drawing of the product (see its drawings, FIG. 1) shows the cover is fastened on the right-hand side of the pad. This would allow for the right side of the pad to be wider, and stick out further, than the left side. Due to this disadvantage, the aesthetic appearance of the pad and crib slat would be affected. It also may not leave enough room between the next slat to the right to view the baby.
3) The prior art product appears to be pre-formed (or pre-molded), (see drawing of the prior art, FIG. 1), is of one shape, and has a slit that opens when placed onto the crib slat, which may cause the inability to fit onto crib slats of different sizes.
4) The prior art does not cover the crib slat below the mattress (see prior art drawing, FIG. 3); the prior art states in the xe2x80x9cDetailed Descriptionxe2x80x9d section that, xe2x80x9cThe length of the pad is identical to the length of the crib balusters down to but not below the crib mattress (viz. 18xe2x80x3-20xe2x80x3)xe2x80x9d. This is a disadvantage because, even though the prior art is tapered at the bottom, over time and usage, it may slip below the mattress, thus leaving an upper area of the hard, wood slat exposed to the crib slat itself, and causing possible injury to a child, if impacted. This is especially true for the side of the crib that features the crib railing that raises and lowers, and is used many times during a typical day. In both cases, the pad could potentially slip down underneath the mattress on any side of the crib, and create the opportunity for an enterprising infant or toddler to use it as a step to climb out of the crib, which could cause serious injury.
4A) Crib safety experts recommend that the space between the mattress and crib not be larger than approximately 1xc2xdxe2x80x3, or the width of two average fingers. Because the present invention is placed around the crib slat to include this space, it adds an element of safety that the prior art does not have.
5) The pads used in the prior art may be tapered to provide more padding toward the center of the crib slat, thus leaving the rest of the slat not as padded, and could injure a child more if they come in contact with the slat near its less padded top or bottom.
6) The most compelling disadvantage of the prior art is its inability to remain in a fixed vertical position if it incurs a force from the top, such as a child pushing down on it. The prior art states that its pad is placed around the crib slat and may be fastened by VELCRO(trademark), a zipper, button, snap, or any other object that falls within the scope of the invention. It also states in the xe2x80x9cDetailed Definitionxe2x80x9d section, that xe2x80x9cInstead of a plastic, the pad exterior (i.e., pad cover or lining) may comprise cloth (preferably composed of synthetic fibers which are easy to clean, dry and maintain), or rubber, with or without additional (spongy) impact-absorbing batting placed within.xe2x80x9d With these materials comprising the pad of the prior art, an enterprising infant or toddler could push the pad halfway down and use it as a step to climb out of the crib. Again, like the bumper pad, the potential for injury is limitless.
6A) Another disadvantage similar to #6 is in regard for the pads which are used only on one to three sides, and are affixed only with VELCRO(trademark). The possibility exists for an enterprising infant or toddler to push down on the pad and pull it off completely as it overcomes the adhesiveness of the fastener. The child may injure itself in the crib either with the broken/detached pad, or may use it to step out of the crib, again, injuring itself in numerable ways.
6B) When the prior art is used as a pad for only the interior side of the crib slat, or its interior plus the left and right sides, it shows in its drawings the use of adhesive VELCRO(trademark) alone to adhere the pad to the crib slat. This is a disadvantage because the VELCRO(trademark), when removed, may remove some of the wood it had been adhered to. This could disvalue the crib""s appearance, and could pose a potential hazard (i.e., possible toxic hazard or choking hazard) to a child if flakes of wood were to come off into the crib.
7) The prior art states that it can be used anytime, regardless of the age of the child in the crib, from a newborn, until the child can be moved out of the crib to a regular bed. Because of the safety issue mentioned above, the prior art would have to removed from the crib when the child is able to sit or stand; because of its design, it represents the same safety issues that occur with the usage of bumper pads in the crib.
As noted above, there are many disadvantages to the prior art design. The need then arises for an improvement upon the prior art. The present invention will solve the problem of the prior art""s ineffectiveness in safety. The present invention will show the functional and structural change of the prior art needed to allow a safe product to be introduced into the market for all infants and toddlers who remain in the crib until they are old enough to be transferred to a regular bed or toddler bed.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art in many ways. While the concept is similar, the design and emphasis on safety is distinct. The present invention is a simple, yet effective design; it is a rectangular, flat piece of soft material that is unilaterally stuffed with soft, resilient material, and then wrapped around each individual crib slat. The present invention is fastened to itself, and not the crib slat. Unlike the prior art, the present invention is not tapered, it covers the crib slat below the mattress, it does not adhere directly to the crib slat, and most importantly, it includes an upright safety support piece to ensure the pad will remain in a fixed, vertical position. The fixed, vertical position of the pad will disallow any enterprising infant or toddler from pushing down on the pad and using it as a step to climb out of the crib. The prior art does not have such device, and therefore its product could be pushed down, causing limitless possibilities of severe injury to a child. The design, minus the vertical support piece, is somewhat similar to a bumper pad that is folded and fastened around the crib slat.
In a preferred embodiment, the pad on the crib slat is similar to a mini bumper pad, in that it is soft on the outside, sufficiently padded on the inside, and simple for the parent or guardian to use. The present invention provides a safe environment for the occupant of the crib. The present invention is durable, washable, adjustable, and will protect occupants of the crib or playpen from injury on the crib slats.
The present invention solves the disadvantages of the prior art as listed in the xe2x80x9cBackground of the Inventionxe2x80x9d section. The advantages of the present invention are described below:
1) The present invention is padded on all 4 sides of a crib slat, thus entirely protecting a child from potential injury at any angle.
2) The present invention has padding of equal proportion around the slat, thus protecting the crib slat surface at all times from a child who may fall into it. It does not protrude more in any one spot, as the prior art appears to do.
3) The present invention fills the gap that is typically void between the mattress and the crib slats. The present invention extends below the mattress, to reach the bottom of the crib slat and touch the horizontal railing. Because the slat pad fills this gap, the pad cannot be moved out of place and/or pushed down any further, and thus the slat remains protected. As discussed earlier, the prior art does not extend below the mattress, creating a safety hazard if the prior art crib pad is pushed into this gap. The prior art pad could fall into this gap either by loosening around the slat caused by everyday use (wear-and-tear) or by a child pushing it into the gap. If the prior art is pushed into this gap, the pad is then low enough for a child to use the top portion as a step to climb out of the crib and potentially injure itself. Also, if the prior art is pushed into this gap, the upper part of the crib slat is then exposed and could create an injury if a child falls into it.
4) The present invention does not protrude unevenly on either side of the crib slat. The prior art, as it is designed in its drawing example, FIG. 1, appears to be wider on the right side of the crib slat. The present invention is uniformly wrapped around the crib slat and fastened in front of the crib slat (on the exterior of the crib).
5) The present invention is not pre-formed (i.e. rounded or curved) to automatically fit over the crib slat. It is a rectangular, flat piece of soft material that is filled with soft, resilient padding, with a safety support device that is sewn into the product to keep the slat pad in a fixed, vertical position (i.e. unbendable). The present invention has a fastener that is adjustable and therefore can be easily wrapped, and easily removed, around many variations of a crib slat, including a round one. Because of its flexibility in design, the present invention can be used on most crib designs.
6) The present invention is wrapped around the crib slat, and adheres to itself; it does not use VELCRO(trademark) to adhere itself directly to the crib slat, such as the prior art uses in some instances. Adhering VELCRO(trademark) to a crib slat is a hazard due to the possibility that an enterprising infant or toddler could pull down the prior art product and receive injury due to possible wood chips in the crib, or using the pad in an improper way after it has fallen into the crib. Since the present invention is tightly wrapped around a crib slat, adheres to itself and uses a stabilizing object, a child will not be able to push it down, pull it off, or move it in anyway, thus solving the safety problem presented in the prior art.
7) The present invention has an advantage to the prior art because it adheres to itself, and with the use of soft material, there is no possibility of marring or damaging the crib slat in any manner.
In regard to bumper pads, the advantages of the present invention are numerable. The present invention is fastened more securely around the crib slat and has a safety device to stabilize and ensure it cannot be moved away from the crib slat or used as a step. A bumper pad is typically only tied to the crib slats, and therefore, the strings may become loose by continual use and wear, and allow it to be moved away from the interior of the crib. A toddler could easily move a bumper pad up and down the slat, leaving parts of the slat exposed. Due to the inability of a bumper pad to remain in a fixed position, and because of its pillow-like softness, an infant could suffocate under a loosened bumper pad, or a toddler could push the bumper down and use it as a step to climb out of the crib, causing potential seriously injury to the child. With the use of the present invention, the occupant of the crib is substantially safer with its design as compared to the conventional bumper pad.
Because of the advantages listed above, the parent or guardian will be more assured of the safety of their child during the time spent in an unsupervised crib.